title: The pattern of medical contacts in a geographically isolated mine village in Greenland.
abstract: 315 persons represented 708 consecutive episodes of illness during a one year period. 13% of the episodes and 22% of all days of sick leave were due to occupational reasons. The most frequent occupational complaints were hearing-impairment and back pain. The most frequent type of occupational injury were lesions of the eyes, hands and wrists. Only 32% of all occupational episodes were notified to the authorities of health and safety at work as the work was resumed at least the day after the injury in 73% of the cases. The surveillance of blood lead concentration worked satisfactorily. Only one employee was a suspected victim of lead poisoning. The modest medical equipment and the isolated character of the mine village made it necessary to refer patients for further treatment elsewhere in 14% of the cases.
authors.affiliation: Medical District of Maarmorilik, Greenland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
mesh_terms: D006116:Greenland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008906:Mining; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data